Recent evidence confirms that Alzheimer’s disease is a major health concern for American Indian and Alaska Native communities. A 2014 report by the US Census Bureau projects that the proportion of Native people aged 65 and older will more than double in the next 3 decades, from 9.2% of the overall Native population to 22.9%. Compared to the US general population, American Indian and Alaska Native elders are at greater risk of numerous acute and chronic health conditions. They also suffer more physical and mental health comorbidities and have limited access to timely healthcare. Therefore, emerging needs of the aging Native population must be identified, and improvements must be made in dementia screening and diagnosis. Partnerships for Native Health is addressing these population health disparities by expanding outreach, research recruitment, and educational activities on Alzheimer’s disease and dementia.

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